Back row: Postmaster-General of Nigeria Postal Service, Ms Tola Odeyemi (second left); Special Assistant on ICT to the President, Fawaz Amodu (third left); Halilu (fourth left); Onyewuchi (centre); Dahiru (fourth right), with the awardees … yesterday.
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, with Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer ( PICTT), has given N229 million to 14 women engineers under Developing Engineering Leaders Through Her (DELT-Her 2.0) initiative.
Speaking at the awards yesterday in Abuja, Executive Vice Chair and Chief Executive of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the initiative was an opportunity through which women can turn bold engineering ideas into solutions that change the world.”
Halilu said of 9,925 project proposals received, 14 women engineers became awardees, receiving N229 million grant to develop innovations in agriculture, clean energy, health, mobility, digital security, and environmental sustainability.
He noted that the agency views gender inclusion as a strategic imperative rather than a charitable act.
“NASENI believes gender inclusion is not charity, it is strategy. Every woman empowered through DELT-Her represents capacity for the nation’s technology and manufacturing ecosystem, bringing a perspective that drives better designs, smarter products, and more human-centred innovation,” Halilu said.
He noted that the first edition in 2024 supported six women engineers with N70.5 million to pioneer breakthrough innovations.
“This year, DELT-Her 2.0 attracted 9,925 proposals, compared to 120 last year,” he said.
Noting the programme’s impact, Halilu added: “From mentoring 30 school girls in FCT in 2024, the programme scaled in 2025 to reach over 150 girls in Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa and FCT, providing mentorship, bootcamps, and fabrication kits that have inspired them to develop prototypes.”
Chairman of PICTT, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru, lauded the awardees, noting that their “dedication, ingenuity and resilience exemplify the potential of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).”
“As we honour them, let us recommit to sustaining this momentum, ensuring DELT-Her continues to bridge gaps and drive national development,” he added.
Representing Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Chair of, Senate Committee on NASENI, Francis Onyewuchi, reaffirmed National Assembly’s commitment to NASENI’s mandate on indigenous production, local content development and gender inclusion in science and technology.
“We believe a nation that builds its technology builds its destiny, and a nation that empowers its women secures its future,” he said.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Udoka, lauded NASENI and PICTT for their foresight and alignment with Federal Government’s broader goals.
